Sweden
Visited
At a glance
- Region
- Northern Europe
- Capital
- Stockholm
- Population
- 10.6 million (2024)
- Area
- 450,295 km²
- Languages
- Swedish
- Currency
- Swedish krona (SEK)
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +46
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Before you go
Overview
The Kingdom of Sweden is a Nordic country located in Northern Europe. It is Europe’s fifth-largest country by area.
The country recorded a population of 10.23 million in 2019 and covers an area of 450,295 km2.
Its capital and largest city is Stockholm. It is built on 14 islands with over 50 bridges.
Other major cities are Gothenburg,Malmo, Helsingborg and Uppsala.
Christmas market in the capital, Stockholm.
History
During the First and Second World War, Sweden was neutral.
It founded the European Free Trade Association in 1959.
It joined the European Union in 1994.
Food & culture
Its culture is characterized by its belief in equality and humility. They tend to listen more and speak less.
The crops grown in Sweden are cereals, vegetables, fruits, root crops and sugar beet.
The popular dishes include meatballs, kanelbulle, filmjolk, oat milk latte, herring, toast skagen and foraged berries.
Wildlife
Common wildlife animals living here are deer, reindeer, lynx, Arctic fox, wolf, bear, moose and wolverine.
Festivals & events
The main celebrated events include the Peace and Love Festival, Kivik Apple Market Festival, Summerburst Festival, Gothenburg Culture Festival, Walpurgisnacht Festival and Stockholm Early Music Festival.
Things to see
There is the Vasa Museum, which is a marine museum in Stockholm which showcases a fully solid 17th-century ship that has never been rescued and 64-gun warship Vasa that drowned on her maiden voyage back in 1628.
There is also the Drottningholm Palace, which is the residence of the royal family in Sweden.
There is also the Oresund Bridge, which is a combination of railway and motorway crossing the Oresund strait connecting Sweden to Denmark.
Other must-visit places are Gamla Stan Old Town, Storkyrkan Cathedral, Kungliga Slottet Royal Palace, Nobel Museum and Abba Museum.
Interesting facts
More than half of the land the country is covered by forest.
The official language is Swedish.
Majority of the people attend the Church of Sweden.
